Two Cape Fear region men sentenced for child porn

Published: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 10:29 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 10:29 p.m.

Two Cape Fear region men were sentenced to prison Tuesday in federal court after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker.

Lonne Balog, 43, of Wilmington was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty Feb. 19 to receipt of child pornography, the news release said.

After a search warrant was executed at Balog's home in June 2012, he admitted to frequent downloading of child pornography, and forensic examiners determined that Balog had accumulated more than 4,000 still images and more than 600 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, according to the release.

Paul Joseph Schmura, 49, of Burgaw was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison after pleading guilty Feb. 19 to one count of receipt of child pornography, according to the news release.

A February 2012 search of Schmura's residence found computers, hard drives and media storage devices holding more than 14,678 images of child pornography, according to the news release.

The cases were investigated by the FBI, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and, in Balog's case, the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a program implemented nationally to ensure criminals exploiting children are prosecuted.

<p>Two Cape Fear region men were sentenced to prison Tuesday in federal court after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker.</p><p>Lonne Balog, 43, of Wilmington was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty Feb. 19 to receipt of child pornography, the news release said.</p><p>After a search warrant was executed at Balog's home in June 2012, he admitted to frequent downloading of child pornography, and forensic examiners determined that Balog had accumulated more than 4,000 still images and more than 600 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, according to the release.</p><p>Paul Joseph Schmura, 49, of Burgaw was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison after pleading guilty Feb. 19 to one count of receipt of child pornography, according to the news release. </p><p>A February 2012 search of Schmura's residence found computers, hard drives and media storage devices holding more than 14,678 images of child pornography, according to the news release.</p><p>The cases were investigated by the FBI, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and, in Balog's case, the <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9932"><b>New Hanover County Sheriff</b></a>'s Office as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a program implemented nationally to ensure criminals exploiting children are prosecuted.</p><p>Will Drabold: 343-2016</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @WillDrabold</p>